Oxycontin Questions & My Story

Hi..I am currently taking OxyContin 20mg 3xdaily, Percocet, Zanaflex, Neurontin & Trazodone for the chronic pain that I've been suffering for for over 13 years of a debilitating illness called: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. The pain started out in my lower legs & only at night (13 yrs ago) & it now it effects every inch of my body. Nerve, bone & muscle pain all over. On a good day my pain levels are a (2), on an icky day they are (6) and when the weather conditions become bad (rain, snow, humidity) as well as air conditioning, sitting or standing for more than 30 min at a time,,,etc..I'm a (9/10). This illness has caused me major depression & multiple suicide attempts. I am lucky enough now to have found a mental health day treatment program to help me get through those dark times.
Anyway....so,
I can't increase the OxyContin because it is not avail in generic & I can't afford to continue to pay out $475 every mth for 90 pills, so I need to find something that will help relieve the pain just as good as the OxyContin, if not better. Any opinions?!?
(The OxyContin is the best pain med that has helped my pain & so thankful my pain management doctor suggested it...tho it bugs me that I can't increase it bc of the price)
I am also quite nervous about stopping them because of withdrawls. If I miss my pill because I overslept, I wake up in withdrawl symptoms.
Is there a way to get over these withdrawl symptoms when beginning a new med?!?
I have tried just about every medication out there in the past 13 years. I detoxed off my meds in Nov 2012, so I can start out fresh, I detoxed off the Fentanyl patch & Demerol. Prior to the detox, i have tried: Morphine, Kadian, MS Contin, Opana, Methadone, Tramadol, Vicoden, Seroquil, Savella, Lyrica, Cymbalta. I've been on so many trial & error meds that I can't even remember!
I am also debating about detoxing again at home, so I can start out low with a new medication, not have the withdrawls and build up my tolerance again.
Any thoughts on this?
I'm running out of options & ideas so I deeply appreciate all, if any answers to my questions, information, suggestions, etc, you can throw my way.
Thank you for taking the time out to read my story & I hope to hear back from ya'll soon. :)
PS...I like to do my own research & then when I talk to my pain management doctor, I feel knowledgeable and prepared at my appointments.

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I know how you feel I am on that same horrible boat don't give up hope I have a couple of times but life is too valuable to throw away stay strong friend you are not alone.

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Hi JerseyGirl,

Sorry to hear about your situation. Vince is definitely right about not giving up hope though. Often times I find that when you're just about to give up hope, the "change" you seek most ends up being right around the corner.

Sometimes, even just holding on a little longer can give rise to a new shift in your perspective on the situation; and that could open doors for possibilities and other avenues of treatment that you may not see right at this moment.

You mentioned that you've tried just about every medication over the past 13 years, but have you ever considered trying medical cannabis or other herbs as an adjunctive therapy to your current treatment regimen? There are a lot of new studies and research going on involving marijuana (CBD/THC) and it's potential healing properties. Perhaps it's something you may want to look into more if you haven't already.

I hope this helps!

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U have to hang in there and stay positive and grateful. I was diagnosed with crps over a year and a half ago due to an ankle injury at work and still have not been prescribed 1 thing that has worked sympathetic nerve blocks and every non narcotic under the sun minus perk 5's which do nothing. The last pain managment dr was pushing hard for a spina stimulator I guess he wanted his kick back from the company that makes them. This crps has turned mine and my family s life upside down. Not only with the physical pain but the emotional pain that comes with it as it sounds like u know. I ve heard nothing but nightmares from peopl I know that have had stimulators and have heard that themes units give u the same effect. If I was u I would stay on the opiate treatment even if u have to suffer a few days of withdrawals which there's no way around that I have found anyway, then suffer 4-ever with the crps symptoms. I ve gotten a referral from a friend to a dr that I had my orthopedic refer me to. Supposedly he's not a tight ass to prescribe what people like us need to have a decent qaulity of life. He also reffered me to a medical mariuana dr but the workers comp ins laughed at that. What a rackett it is between dealin with these drs, insurance companies, and lawyers. I ve told them all everybody benefits besides me. Its now been over two years and I m in a worse physical, mental and financial state then I was when this first happened. My orthopedic dr also reffered me to a shrink and all he wanted to do was put me on anti depressants and when those didn t work he prescribed me seroquil which does nothing but turn me into a zombie. The shrink also cut my one and only sleep aid dose ativan in half. The insurance company only approved 6 visits to him when he asked for 40. Not like it mattered he didn t help me anyway just another pay check to him. I would really love to find a pain management dr and shrink who really cared about their patients and would actually prescribe medications that did something. Hopefully this new dr will do a better job but now I have to travel an hour north to oldbridge to see him not to mention wait over a month to see him. I don t know where u live but if its anywhere near ocean county and u have a good pain management drs I m all ears. Belive me I feel your physical and emotional pain there's a lot of days I m ready to throw in the towel but I have kids and a girl that would b crushed so I struggle on. I need to get the right treatment somehow here. Sorry if I ranted but I needed to voice my frustrations, its nice to know that i m not the only one out there whos been through the ringer. I wish ya the best!!!

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I'm in the same boat as everyone in this thread. I have degenerative disc disease and have had 3 failed operations. I was on a perfect combination of meds my GP had me on the she panicked because the state of CA is watching the pain meds GP's are prescribing. I was sent to a horrible pain clinic and I couldn't move because I was in so much pain. They tried different medications but NEVER increased the dosage. Now I am going to a new one next month and will be asking about a pain pump. It releases pain medicine directly into your spinal canal for 24/7 relief. I'm only 41 and have 2 young boys so I want to be able to be active still. I don't know what my activity level will be limited to. Right now if I hurt to much I can take one of my pills for breakthrough pain. The pump might be my last option because surgery is only a fix for the mechanical part of my pain, it doesn't touch the nerve damage that's been done.

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